NFL football – Page 4 – Syndication Server

ESPN: Jaguars could ‘dictate’ how 2025 NFL draft plays out

The Jaguars have possessed the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft for a couple of weeks now.

Six games stand between Jacksonville and finishing the season atop the order, and it faces competition for the pick. But with the Jaguars sitting at 2-9 on the year, fans have already begun to look forward to the offseason, arguably rightfully so.

But if Jacksonville holds onto the slot through the end of the campaign, would they keep it?

ESPN NFL analyst Field Yates is not convinced so.

In an early assessment of the upcoming draft with fellow ESPN reporters, Yates explained that he views the Jaguars as the team that could “dictate” how the selection ceremony plays out.

Yates believes the Jaguars would consider trading out of the top of the order, given they will not be looking for a quarterback.

The Jaguars are barreling toward a top-five pick and entered Week 12 in position to pick No. 1 for the third time since 2021. With Trevor Lawrence a year away from the beginning of his five-year extension, Jacksonville will not be in the quarterback market, making it an obvious trade-down candidate, contingent on price and the desire of other teams to trade up. The Jaguars will be a fascinating team to watch.

Much could change for the Jaguars between now and April’s NFL draft. But one thing is for certain: Lawrence will remain Jacksonville’s quarterback after signing a $275 million deal with the club this past offseason.

Therefore, Jacksonville should expect calls from passer-needy teams for the No. 1 pick in the coming months, if the Jaguars keep their grip on it through Week 18.

Jaguars vs. Texans: Week 13 TV broadcast map

The Jaguars will be back on your television on Sunday. At least, if you plan to watch Jacksonville vs. Houston and live in the pockets of the United States that are set to air the matchup.

Find the FOX single-game broadcast map for Week 13 below, via 506sports.com, with Jacksonville vs. Houston available in orange areas.

Kevin Kugler will call Jacksonville vs. Houston’s play-by-play with Daryl Johnston offering commentary and Laura Okmin reporting from the sideline.

Kickoff between the Jaguars and Texans is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Jacksonville had Week 12 off, a much-needed opportunity to recharge after opening the 2024 campaign 2-9 and specifically following the worst loss in franchise history in Week 11, a 52-6 defeat against the Detroit Lions.

The Jaguars hope their bye week reset will benefit them as they enter the final six games of their schedule, beginning with their second contest against the Texans of the year. Houston, 7-5 and atop the AFC South, beat Jacksonville 24-20 in Week 4.

Doug Pederson encouraged by Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence’s recovery

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson is encouraged by the progress Jacksonville starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence has made in recovery from a left, non-throwing shoulder injury suffered in Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Lawrence — who missed Jacksonville’s last two games after getting hurt against Philadelphia, even though he finished that contest — returned to practice with the Jaguars on Monday and is slated to continue working on Wednesday.

Pederson did not solidify Lawrence’s status for Jacksonville’s Week 13 home matchup with the Houston Texans one way or another. But the quarterback appears to be trending toward a return to play this Sunday.

“It’s encouraging,” Pederson said Wednesday. “You know, we’ll get through today, obviously. I’m not going to commit, but it was a good start to the week and so we’ll see how he handles much more of a workload today.”

Lawrence reportedly suffered a “significant” AC joint sprain in his left shoulder against the Eagles.

Lawrence has completed 168-of-274 (61.3%) passes for 2,004 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions in nine starts with the Jaguars this season.

Pederson hinted Lawrence should receive the majority of first-team quarterback reps during Jacksonville’s Wednesday practice. However, Pederson intends to continue deploying backup quarterback Mac Jones with the group to prepare for a potential third-consecutive start.

Jones completed 31-of-51 passes for 249 yards with three interceptions and a fumble in place of Lawrence against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 10 and the Detroit Lions in Week 11.

“It probably wouldn’t be 50-50. But still, Mac will get opportunities to take first-team reps, just to keep him fresh and keep him engaged,” Pederson said. “But [I] would love to see Trevor get the bulk of the work when the ones are out there today.”

Jacksonville vs. Houston is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, at EverBank Stadium.

Jaguars vs. Texans: Key matchups

The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off their bye week, ideally refreshed and refocused for their final stretch of the 2024 season as they host Houston this weekend.

This will be a crucial six-game marathon for the Jaguars as the future around the coaching staff and front office hangs in the balance following a lowly 2-9. On a positive note, franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence appears closer to returning to play this week after missing two games with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder.

While Jacksonville almost certainly won’t make the postseason, it could begin to cause some panic among Houston fans with an upset.

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at some of the key matchups for this weekend.

Jacksonville WR Brian Thomas Jr. vs. Houston CB Derek Stingley Jr.

This one-on-one battle represents two gifted athletes who will be among the best players at their respective positions for years to come. Stingley has been playing at a high level this season and is one of Houston’s best defenders while Thomas has emerged as one of the better young wide receivers in the league and one of the faces of Jacksonville’s future.

It can’t be emphasized enough how crucial of a matchup this is. Thomas has played well the last several weeks and emerged as the Jaguars’ top playmaker this year. With Lawrence potentially back under center, the team’s first-round selection this year could see his target share increase.

Stingley is one of the best man-cover corners in the game. He uses his size, technique, and pure athleticism to shut down any receiver who lines up against him. Thomas offers the skill set to beat man defenders at will with the incredible fluidity, short-area quickness and ultra-explosiveness that has made him a three-level threat.

If Thomas wins this battle, Jacksonville will be one step closer to pulling off an upset.

Jaguars’ offensive line vs. Texans’ defensive line

For as bad as things have been for the Jaguars this season, their offensive line remains steady, especially in the interior. The team has allowed the sixth-lowest pressure rate in the NFL (28.7%) and will take on a Texans’ defense that ranks third in pressure rate (40.3%).

Winning in the trenches has been an up-and-down battle for Jacksonville all season and Sunday features a chance to win there on both sides of the ball. According to Next Gen Stats, Jaguars guards Exra Cleveland and Brandon Scherff and center Mitch Morse have all allowed pressure on under five percent of their pass-blocking snaps.

The edges are where it gets tricky as tackles Walker Little and Anton Harrison will be going up against Texans defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league. Jacksonville will need its young tackles to have quality starts to slow down Houston’s pass rushers.

This is not a favorable matchup for the Jaguars. It could be if Harrison and Little can stay consistent in their pass-blocking sets and generate momentum in the run game on the edges, which will be key in taking on the No. 5 defense in yards allowed.

Houston RB Joe Mixon vs. Jacksonville run defense

One of the stories of the Jaguars this season has been their putrid defensive play in almost all facets, especially against the run where they have allowed the seventh-most rushing yards in the NFL (135.5).

However, interestingly enough, they have defended the run well on outside-designed runs. Jacksonville has allowed the second-fewest rushing yards over expected (-65) and the seventh-lowest success rate (34.0%) on those specific play calls, according to Next Gen Stats.

Defensive ends Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker have been big reasons for Jacksonville’s success against outside runs. Walker is third on the team in run stops (35) and Hines-Allen has 23 on the season. Their power at the point of attack and discipline against the run has been very notable this year.

This week, they’ll take on Mixon, who has run nine of his touchdowns to the outside and has the fifth-most RYOE (+116) in that area in the NFL. Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik tends to use the outside zone to work away from the tackle box and stress defenders on the edges.

Setting the edge will be key for the Jaguars, especially against Mixon. Walker and Hines-Allen must do their job to squeeze their respective gaps and become force defenders to bottle Mixon inside.

If the Jaguars can limit Mixon’s ability to stretch the edge, Jacksonville will have a chance to pull off a nice victory on Thanksgiving weekend.

Jaguars face first playoff elimination scenarios in Week 13

The Jacksonville Jaguars face their first playoff elimination scenarios of the 2024 season in Week 13.

Sitting at 2-9 and in last place in the AFC South, a loss to the Houston Texans (7-5) on Sunday would knock Jacksonville out of its divisional running, per NFLplayoffscenarios.com.

Further, the Jaguars would be eliminated from postseason contention by losing paired with the Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) and Denver Broncos (7-5) both winning or tying their Week 13 matchups, against the Atlanta Falcons (6-5) and Cleveland Browns (3-8), respectively.

The Jaguars were the first team locked out of a No. 1 playoff seed this season, when the final whistle blew in their 52-6 loss to the Detroit Lions (10-1) in Week 11.

The Las Vegas Raiders (2-9), New York Giants (2-9), New England Patriots (3-9), Carolina Panthers (3-8), Tennessee Titans (3-8), New York Jets (3-8) and Browns have since followed suit. Jacksonville is now out of the running for the No. 2 and 3 AFC playoff seeds, too.

The Jaguars and Texans’ Week 13 matchup, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Houston beat Jacksonville in the Jaguars’ first AFC South matchup of the year, 24-20 in Week 4.

Jaguars reunite with long-time OL via practice squad

The Jaguars reunited with long-time Jacksonville offensive lineman Tyler Shatley on Tuesday, signing him to their practice squad and releasing offensive lineman Dieter Eiselen from the unit in a corresponding move.

Now in his 11th NFL season, Shatley originally signed with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent out of Clemson in 2014 and remained with the team through this preseason.

Shatley re-signed with Jacksonville on a one-year contract in April but was released during the Jaguars’ preseason roster cuts in August. He revealed earlier that month that he intends to retire from the NFL after this season.

Shatley made 145 regular season appearances with the Jaguars through 2023, the fifth-most in franchise history, including a team-record 140 consecutive games played and 51 starts across the offensive line.

He has logged at least one snap at every offensive line position other than right tackle with Jacksonville.

Shatley started at least eight games yearly between the 2020-22 seasons. He also has made five postseason appearances and two playoff starts with the Jaguars.

Doug Pederson believes one Jaguar won’t practice Monday

The Jaguars appear to be inching closer to full health across their active roster.

Following Jacksonville’s Week 12 bye, head coach Doug Pederson believes only one player will not practice with the Jaguars on Monday, backup linebacker and special teamer Yasir Abdullah, who missed Week 11 against the Detroit Lions with a hamstring injury.

“Probably Yasir is the only one still that’s out. But everybody else should practice,” Pederson said on Monday.

Abdullah has logged 17 total tackles this season.

In addition to Abdullah, who was a late scratch, three players listed on Jacksonville’s 12-active-player injury report from Week 11 did not play: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence (left shoulder), running back Tank Bigsby (ankle) and rookie defensive tackle Maason Smith (ankle).

Smith was a limited practice participant throughout Week 11; Lawrence and Bigsby were sidelined daily.

Pederson noted Lawrence, who has missed Jacksonville’s last two games, will be monitored in practice throughout the week before the Jaguars determine his status for Week 13.

Jacksonville will practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday ahead of its Sunday, Week 13 home matchup with the Houston Texans, an altered schedule with Thanksgiving on Thursday.

Doug Pederson updates QB Trevor Lawrence following Jaguars’ bye

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is expected to return to practice Monday following Jacksonville’s Week 12 bye after missing the team’s last two games with a left shoulder injury, head coach Doug Pederson revealed.

Lawrence did not practice in Week 11 and was ruled out of Jacksonville’s last Sunday matchup with the Detroit Lions that Wednesday. He was a limited practice participant daily in Week 10 but ultimately did not play against the Minnesota Vikings.

“Trevor is going to practice today and then we’ll see where it’s at from there,” Pederson said Monday. “It’ll just be a toleration thing with him.”

Pederson added that the Jaguars would monitor Lawrence’s status over their next two practices — Monday and Wednesday, on an altered schedule this week with Thanksgiving on Thursday — before determining his availability for Jacksonville’s Week 13 matchup with the Houston Texans.

“Well, we’ll find out today. We’ll see where Trevor is at today. Then he’s got tomorrow off, come in and get treatment. And you know, [we will] see where he’s at on Wednesday, how he feels,” Pederson explained.

“He’s feeling better today, so that’s positive.”

Lawrence has completed 168-of-274 (61.3%) passes for 2,004 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions in nine starts this season. He has also rushed for three touchdowns.

Mac Jones completed 31-of-51 passes for 249 yards with three interceptions and a fumble in place of Lawrence at quarterback for the Jaguars in their last two games, losses to the Vikings and Lions.

NFL Week 12 TV broadcast map with Jaguars on bye

The Jaguars are on a much-needed bye in Week 12, leaving Jacksonville fans to either tune in to the rest of the NFL or enjoy a Sunday without football.

If the former is in your plans, find which games will be available in your viewing area below, via 506sports.

CBS Single Games

FOX Early Games

FOX Late Games

As for primetime, the Cleveland Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-19 on Thursday Night Football, the Los Angeles Rams will host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football on NBC and the Los Angeles Chargers will host the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football on ESPN and ABC.

The Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets join Jacksonville on a bye in Week 12.

The Jaguars will return to action with a home matchup against the Texans in Week 13, at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1. Houston beat Jacksonville in Week 4, 24-20, when the clubs met in their first of two AFC South matchups this year.

NFLN: Four Jaguars assistants named ‘young coaches to watch’

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson’s name has come up for all the wrong reasons as the NFL’s annual coaching carousel approaches.

However, some Jacksonville staffers have entered the conversation as potential candidates for a promotion.

NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero on Tuesday identified assistant coaches under 45 years old who could be worth monitoring for the 2025 hiring cycle and in the future.

Among the potential candidates for this offseason’s wave was Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor.

Jaguars OC Press Taylor, 36

A two-time national [junior college] champion as a QB and the brother of Bengals coach Zac Taylor, Press broke into the NFL as a quality control coach in Philadelphia in 2013 and made a notable contribution to the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII win: Doug Pederson credited Taylor with the idea for the “Philly Special.”

Reunited in 2022 with Pederson in Jacksonville, Taylor built the offense and quietly called plays in the second halves of games as the Jaguars made a surprise playoff run. Evan Engram, Christian Kirk and Zay Jones have all enjoyed career years playing in Jacksonville’s offense. This has been an ugly season for the Jags, who are 2-9 — including a league-high six one-score losses — and are now playing without injured quarterback Trevor Lawrence. But Taylor remains a young assistant worth watching.

Taylor’s Jaguars offense has struggled this season, ranking No. 23 in the NFL in points per game (18.9) and No. 28 in yards per game (290.8) through 11 weeks, falling from No. 14 in points (22.2) and No. 13 in yards (339.5) per game in 2023.

Pelissero also named Jacksonville special teams coordinator Heath Farwell, wide receivers coach Chad Hall and assistant cornerbacks coach Cory Robinson as potential head coaching candidates for future cycles.

Farwell spent 10 seasons in the NFL, holding down roles as a core special teamer as a reserve linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks. He served as an assistant special teams coach for the Seahawks and Carolina Panthers before coordinating those units for the Buffalo Bills (2019-21) and Jaguars (2022-present).

Hall has overseen Jacksonville’s wide receivers the last two seasons after beginning his coaching career with Buffalo, as an offensive assistant from 2017-18 before his promotion to wide receivers coach in 2019. He played wide receiver for the Eagles, San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs between 2010-13.

Robinson joined Jacksonville’s coaching staff this offseason in an assistant role, tasked with instructing the Jaguars’ cornerbacks. He has coached professionally and collegiately since 2015, including stints with the Tennessee Volunteers, New Orleans Saints and Maryland Terrapins.